Get a better Mobile when you Upgrade!

zincoxide

Mobile phone networks will quite happily discount the price of your upgrade handset by between 50%-100%.

They make shocking profits on most customers bills, especially if you pay over £30 per month.

Once your minimum contract term is up, phone and ask to have your handset upgraded, but before you do this, make sure you know a couple of handsets that you'd like. Ask the person why you have to pay for it if it comes free on a new contract ('new customers only'). They will porbably spout some rubbish at you hoping you'll just agree to pay the charge.

This is where it gets good, if they still refuse to discount the handset for you, ask for a PAC code, this is a Porting Authority Code, which allows you to take your existing mobile number over to another network. At this point, they'll pass you on to their 'disconnections' team, in most networks, this is known as the 'churn' or 'retention' team. They are there to keep your custom.

Tell them how much you spend per month, if you have insurance it also helps, and explain that you want to move to another network and take your existing mobile phone number with you, hence the reason you requested a PAC code.

Explain you are doing this as they will not upgrade you to a handset they are giving 'free' or cheaper to new customers.

The reason this works, is that most mobile phones actually cost very little, here are some examples for you:

Mobile Cost Price
Motorola V3 (Silver) £87.64 ex VAT
Nokia 6230I £76.32 ex VAT

And it's much cheaper to keep existing customers than gain new ones. The networks that are particularly good are:

Vodaphone
BT Mobile
Orange

O2 can be quite funny about it unless you spend a minimum of £30 per month.

Good luck and let me know your success stories!

brummybloke

i have never paid for a handset and change mine every year to what ever i like the look of, i then sell my old phone to who ever. my deal is good, i pay less than i did 2 years ago and i get more minutes and text 'free'.
i have had mobiles for 6 years and alsways when upgrading, go for the latest one, this also gives me a better re sale value.

i sold my z600 ( sony ericson) for £90, i got it free and it basically gave me 4 1/2 months free phone and line use.

the only problem is, i have a d500 , so does every other person. i wont get too much for it next feb but hey ho.

Sam_Spends_Too_Much

When I upgraded my mobile last year, I used the 'close my account' tack. Told them I could get the mobile I wanted free and a cheaper line rental elsewhere. T Mobile increased my allowance from 50 to 75 and finally to 100pounds!! And that was after insisting they couldn't offer me any more. And I was told by an ex-T Mob employee its usually better not to buy the handset direct from T Mobile as the offers in shops are usually better, eg, Carphone Warehouse.

gazza007

Just renewed mt T-Mobile contract. Been on the Euro 290 mins + 50 texts for last 12 months on Nokia 6230. Thought about changing for better deal with another company but in all honesty been with them years & have always negotiated. I wanted the 6230i but they wanted £40, managed to get it down to free & stay on same tariff. Now my children want the 6230. Highest bids please!!!!

fatboyonadiet

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?newsid1099157672,92885,